Chapter 4

Fu Liuchuan didn’t know I was dead yet.

He only discovered I had blocked him when he sent a message asking about my post-graduation plans.

He knew my personality was strange and that Jiang Yao was my only close friend from our four years of college.

So he found her.

I floated in the air, watching him approach Jiang Yao.

“Excuse me, are you able to contact Fu Liuliu?” Fu Liuchuan’s tone was polite but distant.

Jiang Yao looked at him, biting her lip with a hesitant, conflicted expression.

He added, “I believe you’ve seen me before. I’m Fu Liuliu’s brother, Fu Liuchuan.”

“Liuliu told me you’re not her brother,” Jiang Yao blurted out.

She immediately covered her mouth, feigning regret as if she’d let it slip.

Fu Liuchuan froze.

After a moment, he spoke calmly, “What else has she told you about me?”

“Liuliu said she despises you. She was so relieved to finally graduate and just wants to get as far away from you as possible, hopefully never to see you again for the rest of her life.”

Jiang Yao paused. “…She also said your father was responsible for her mother’s death. That you two were always enemies.”

“She just wishes you would die sooner.”

No.

That’s not it.

I desperately wanted to refute Jiang Yao’s words, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t make a sound.

Fu Liuchuan listened to her quietly.

His long lashes trembled like the wings of a butterfly, hiding all the emotion in his eyes.

I wondered if he was remembering our argument outside the house on my birthday. I’d said it then, too: “If you died, I’d pop a bottle of champagne to celebrate.”

The thought made me stop, stunned.

A tide of regret washed over me.

It’s not like that, brother.

I was just scared. Scared you would see through my secret, dirty feelings.

You already hated me enough.

I didn’t want to be humiliated even further.

“…I know. She’s always hated me.”

After a long pause, a pale-faced Fu Liuchuan finally curved his lips into a smile. “Could I trouble you to contact me regularly from now on? Just to tell me how Fu Liuliu is doing.”

Jiang Yao feigned hesitation.

He added in a gentle, polite tone, “You don’t have to tell her. I just want to confirm that she’s safe.”